Ore-washing machine.



1%. 887,490. PATENTED MAY 12, 1908. H. H. MEYER.

ORE WASHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25, 1907.

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PATENTED MAY 12, 1908.

a) x In?! H. H. MEYER. ORE WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25, 1907.

PATENTED MAY 12, 1908.

H. H. MEYER.

ORE WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25, 1907.

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Lliiiii 11111 1 I 111111 I QWVMAM/A Wm WM No. 887,490. PATENTED MAY 12, 1908. H. H. MEYER.

ORE WASHING MAGHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 25, 1907.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HUGO H. MEYER, 'oF RAOINE, WISCONSIN.

oRE-wAsH rG MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUGO H. MEYER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Racine, in the county of Racine and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and. useful Improvements in Ore-Washing Ma chines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof.

The main objects of this invention are to effectively and economically separate metals or concentrates, more particularly the precious metals, from the sand, gravel or refuse with which they are found, especially by what is known as placer mining in localities where water is scarce; to economize water by using it over and over again, in the separation of the metal or concentrates from the sand,

\ gravel or refuse; to save time and labor; and

generally to improve the-construction and operation of machines of this class.

It consists in certain novel features of construction and in the peculiar arrangement and combinations of parts as hereinafter particularly described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing like char actersdesignate the same parts in the several figures.

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 1 1, Fig. 2, of a machine embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 2 2, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a'similarsec tion on the line 3 3, Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the machine, the rotary screen being removed; and Fig. 5 is a sectional detail on the line 5 5, Fig. 4. I

A rotary screen preferably comprising coaxial .members a, b and c, is mounted in an inclined position on rollers d in a trough e, the outer member of the screen being provided with channeled or flanged guide rings with which said rollers engage. The rollers (Z are mounted on inclined shafts which extend through the end of the trough and are provided with sprocket wheels f, these sprocket wheels bein connectedb achainbeltwithasprocket whee g on a driving shaft h. The outer and inner members a and c of the screen are of c lindrical form and open at their lower ends, t e outer member being closed or partially closed at its upper end and the inner member 0 en at its upper end. The intermediate mem er I) is of conical-or frustum shape, closed at its lower smaller end and open at its upper larger end between the ends of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 25, 1907. Serial No. 359,229

Patented May12, 190s.

outer member a, the inner member 0 extending at its lower end into the member I). The screen is set with lts axls at such an 1ncl1na tion and the intermediate conical or frustum" extension 7', of largerdiameter and'connected therewith by an im erforate section The extensione' 1s provic ed with internal uckets or perforated transverse wings k, and is inclosed on the lower side in a trough l or in an extension or compartment of the trough e,

from which it is partially separated adjacent to the imperforate section y a partition as shown in Fig. '1.

A feed spout m rojects into the upper end of the inner mem er 0 of the screen. a

The trough elhas an opening in the bottom near its lower end into thenpper part of a Time box or conduit n. This ox or conduit is provided with a series of reversely inclined plates 0, arranged one above another so that the material discharged from the.

lower end of each up 'er'plate' will be caught on the u per end 0 the next plate below. Upon eac late 0 rests a vertically movable series of ri es p connected at the ends by cleats or strips 0 extending along the sides of the box or conduit n. Each series of rifiles is suspended from horizontally disposed arms q, which aremounted on rocker shafts passing transversely across the riflle box or conduit, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Vertically disposed arms Q'ifOIIIlGd, with the arms g or fixed on said rocker shafts 'at one side 0 the riflle box or conduit are connected by rods passinguthrougli one end of said box or conduit. T be separately raised from the plates oand lowered into working osition thereon .by any suitable means, suc as levers attached to the outer ends of the connecting rods, or the several connecting rods may be connected with each other for simultaneous w ich is rovided with a handle arm 8, as shown in ig. 2.

An open elevator wheel mounted on rollers t in a trough u, as shown in Fig. 3, is rovided around its rim with a series of buc ets v, and inside of said buckets with a series of internal buckets or wings w, which are sepopleration through bell crank levers 1', one of e several series of rifHes may I arated from the buckets v by an intervening 7 screen or screens as, arranged substantially concentric with the wheel. On each side of its rim the elevator wheel is formed or provided with channeled or flanged circular ways 1 which hold it in place on the rollers t. The rollers t are mounted on horizontal shafts extending transversely through the trough u and each projecting therefrom at one end which is provided with a sprocket wheel 2. One of these shafts 'is provided with another sprocket Wheel 2, which is connected by a link belt with a sprocket wheel 3 on the driving or main shaft h. The two sprocket wheels 2 are connected with each other by a link belt. The elevator wheel is made of such diameter that it will extend on the under side below the discharge from the riffle box or conduit and on the upper side above the trough e. the lower part of the riflle box or conduit a into the elevator wheel above the internal buckets or wings to on the under side of the wheel, as shown in Fig. 1.

Two settling tanks 5 located adjacent to I the elevator wheel and extending at the top to or preferably somewhat above the level of the top of the trough e, have inclined bottoms directed downwardly as indicated -by I closed by gates or valves 7.

dotted lines in Fig. 1, towards lateral discharge openings 6,, which are normally Between these tanks isa reservoir 8, which communicates with each tank through an opening controlled by a valve 9. These openings are provided as shown'in Fig. 5, with screens or strainers'lO, to prevent the passage of coarse or waste material from the tanks into said reservoir when the valves 9 are opened.

A chute 11 extending through or into the elevator wheel below the buckets on the upper side thereof, leads therefrom to the tanks 5, with which it communicates through openings controlled by'valves or ,gates '12. This chute is preferably formed or provided at its lower end with a V-shaped deflector 13, to direct the material flowing through the chute towards the openings into the tanks 5. The upper part of each tank is connected by a return pipe or' conduit 14 with the trough e, said pipe or conduit being inclined downwardly from the tank to the trough so that water will overflow from the upper part of the tank into said trough by gravity.

A pump 15, which may be conveniently driven from the shaft h by a link belt connecting a sprocket wheel 16 on said shaft with a sprocket wheel 17 on the pump shaft, is arranged to elevate water from the reser voir 8 into the tanks 5. The suction pipe 18 of the pump extends into the lower part of the reservoir '8, while its dischargepipe has branches 19 leading into the upper part of the tanks 5 and provided with valves 20 for shutting off the flow of water into either tank.

A conduit 4 leads from ings 6 from the tanks 5, so that the refuse sand, gravel and rock discharged from the screen as well as that discharged from the settling tanks, may be deposited into the same receptacle or upon a conveyer for carrying or conducting it away from the machine. The sprocket wheel, 16 is connected with the main or driving shaft h by a clutch, as shown in Fig.4, so that the pump may be stopped and started at will, without otherwise affecting the operation of the machine.

The machine herein shown and described" operates as follows: The trough 6 being filled or supplied with water and the machine being set in motion, ore is fed through the spout m into the inner member 0 of the rotary screen. From the lower end of the inner member 0 it is discharged into the intermediate conical member I), in which it travels in the opposite direction, and from the larger open end of which it is discharged into the outer member a. From the outer member of the screen the sand, gravel and rock or waste material too coarse to pass through the meshes of the screen, is discharged into the perforated extension t, in which it is taken up and drained by the buckets or wings 7c and discharged into the chute or cor duit 21. In its lpassage back and forth through the severa members of the rotary screen, the ore is broken up and disintegrated, and the finer and heavien parts, including the metal or concentrates, pass through the outer memberof the screen into the trough e, from which they are discharged with the water supplied to said trough into the rifllebox or conduit a. As the material flows over the riflles p, which rest on the plates 0, the heavier particles of metal or concentrates settle'and are caught in the pockets between the rifiies, while the coarser lighter waste portions pass onward with the water and are finally discharged from the lower plate'o into the conduit 4. From the conduit 4 the material is delivered into the lower part of the elevator wheel upon the screen or screens as, the solid portion being carried up by the buckets or wingsw on the inner side of the screen, while the water or liquid portion passing through the screen into 7 the trough u is taken up by the buckets'v on the outer side of said screen. As the buckets pass on the upper side of the wheel over the upper end of the chute 11, the water is discharged from the outer buckets 12 through v the screen and across the inner buckets or wings 11;, taking the solid material therefrom with it into said chute. From the chute 11 the solid material with the water flows into one of the tanks 5, the valves 7 and 9 at its lower end and the valve 12 from the chute.

into the other tank being closed. The water rising to or near the top of the tank intowhich the material is discharged, flows back therefrom through the return conduit 14 into the trough e, and passes again through the machine, being used over and. over againfor washing and concentrating fresh ore. When the tank into which the material flows is filled with solid matter'to or nearly to the .level of the opening from the chute 11, the valve 12 controlling saidopening is closed, the valve controlling the corresponding opening into the other tank having been previously 0 ened, and the valves7 and 9 of that tank 0 osed. The valve 9 of the first tank is then opened, allowing the water to drain therefrom into the reservoir 8. The valve 9 of the first tank is now closed and the valve 7 thereof is opened, permitting the solid waste material to escape from the tank into a conveyer or receptacle for carrying it away. The second tank 5 being filled before the water is drained from the first tank, the operation of the machine continues without interruption in the manner above explained. Whenever the reservoir 8 is filled, or it is desired, the pump 15 is started and the Water is drained therefrom and dischargedinto whichever of the tanks 5 is in condition to receive it, the valve 20 in the branch of the discharge pipe. leading into the other tank being closed.

When the machine has once been supplied with asufficient volume of water for its operation, this water being used over and over again in the manner specified, a small additional amount is sufficient to make up for that which evaporates and that which passes off with the waste material.

Whenever it is desired to remove the metal or concentrates from the pockets between the riffles p, the feed of ore or gravel to the machine is temporarily stopped while water continues to flow from one of the return comduits 14 through the trough einto the riffle box or conduit n, the riffles are then lifted from the plates 0 and the metal or concentrates are washed therefrom into the conduit 4 and caught in any suitable receptacle placed under the lower end of said conduit.

With the gold in placer gravel, considerable quantities of oxid of iron or magnetite, known as black sand are usually found. This material being much heavier than the sand, gravel or waste soon fills the pockets in the riffle box or conduit and would cause the metal or ore to overflow the riffles and pass off with the waste unless the pockets were frequently emptied. Being in itself a valuable product, the magnetiteor black sand is thus saved with the gold or other valuable material, and this is greatly facilitated by the provision above. mentioned for lifting the rifiles frorn the riffle plates.

Various changes in the minor details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made without materially affecting the operation of the machine and without departure from the principle and scope of the invention.

I claim: I

1. In an ore washing machine the combination of a riffle box containing a series of reversely inclined riffle plates arranged one above another, a trough having a dischar e o ening .at the bottom over the upper ri e p ate, a rotary screen mounted in said trough, an elevator wheel having a series of buckets around its rim, a trough containing the lower part of the elevatorwheel, a conduit leading diameter at its lower end with internal buckets or wings, a discharge chute leading from the interior of said perforated extension, an elevator wheel rovided with buckets, a discharge conduit eading from the lower part of the riffle conduit into the lower part of said wheel above the buckets on the lower side thereof, a settling tank, a chute leading from the interior of said wheel below the buckets on the upper side thereof to said tank, and a return conduit leading from the upper part of said tank back into the screen trough, substantially as described.

- 3. In an ore washing machine, a riffle conduit, a trough having a discharge opening into the upper part of the riflie conduit, an inclined'rotary screen mounted in said trough and comprising coaxial members, the intermediate member being of conical sha e and open at its upper larger end, and a per orated extension of larger diameter at the lower end of the outer member, said trough being partially divided intotwo compartments by a partition between the outer member of the 'screen and its perforated extension, an elevator wheel having a serles of buckets around its rim into which the rifiie conduit discharges on the lower side of the wheel, a settling tank into which said buckets are arranged to discharge on the u per side of said wheel, and a return conduit eading from the upper part of said tank back into the screen trough, substantially as described.

4. In an ore washing machine the combination of a riffle conduit, a trough having a discharge opening into the upper part of said conduit, a screen mounted in said trough, an

duit leading from the upper part of said tank elevator wheel provided around its rim with a series of buckets and inside of the buckets back to the screen trough, substantially as described.

5. In an ore washing machine the combination of ariflle conduit, a trough having a discharge opening into the upper part of said conduit, a screen mounted in said trough, an elevator wheel having a series of buckets around its rim into which the riflle conduit discharges above the buckets on the lower side of the wheel, two settling tanks, a chute leading from the interior of said wheel below the buckets on the upper side thereof to said tanks, valves controlling communication between said chute and tanks, andtreturn conduits leading from the upper part of said tank back 'to the screen trough, substantially as described. I 6. In an ore washing machine the combination of a riffle conduit, a trough having a discharge opening into the upper part of said conduit, a screen mounted in said trough, an

elevator wheel provided with buckets arranged to receive material discharged from the riflle conduit, settling tanks having valve controlled waste openings at the bottom, a reservoir having. valve controlled connec tions with the lower part of said tanks, a chute arranged to catch material discharged from the buckets on the upper side of the elevator Wheel and convey it into either of said tanks, return conduits leading from the upper part of said tanks into the screen trough, and means for elevating water from said reservoir into either of said tanks, substantially as described.

7. In an ore washing machine the combination of a riflie-conduit, a trough having a discharge opening into the upper part of said tension below the buckets on the upper side thereof, an elevator wheel provided with buckets around its rim arranged to receive material discharged from the rifile conduit, a

settling tank into which material is discharged from the upper part of said Wheel, a return conduit leading from the upper part of said tank into the screen trough, a reservoir communicating with the lower part of said tank through a valve controlled opening or connection, and means 'for elevating water I from said reservoir back into said tank, substantially as described.

8. In an ore washing machine the combination of. a riflile conduit, a trough having a discharge opening into the upper part of said conduit, an inclined rotary screen mounted in said trough and having at its'lower end a perforated extension of larger diameter with internal wings or buckets, an elevator wheel provided around its rim with buckets arranged to receive on the lower side of the wheel material discharged from the riflle conduit, two tanks having valve controlled discharge openings at the bottom, means for conveying material discharged from the upper part of said wheel into either of said tanks, return conduits leading from the upper part of the tanks back into the screen trough, a reservoir having a valve controlled connection with-the lower art of each tank,

means for elevating water rom said reservoir into either tank, and a discharge conduit leading from the interior of the perforated extension of the screen to: a point adjacent to the discharge openings of said tanks, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I hereto allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HUGO H. MEYER.

Witnesses:

OHAs. L. Goss, ALICE E. Goss. 

